Three-dimensional colour pattern slabs which formed by sintering ceramic powder

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a the 3D color pattern slab formed by sintering ceramic powder, which is formed by pressing and sintering ceramic powders with minimum diameter of 0.1 mm-0.8 mm to provide a 3D color pattern slab formed by sintering ceramic powder, which is characterized in that, the ceramic product includes clear cut ceramic sintered pattern regions having 2-10 various kinds of colors or different shades of a single or mixed colors; at least 2 types of pattern regions each occupies 10%-90% of the total area of the ceramic product, in which at least each pattern region having at least one type of colored ceramic powder uniformly distributed in 80%-100% of the pattern area and 70%-100% from surface to the inside 70%-100% of the thickness of the ceramic product; also, in a 1 mm-20 mm intersecting region between said two types of colored pattern regions, the mixture ratio of the different colored powder material between two different color pattern regions can reach from 1:50 to 50:50. In this way imitation stone slab imitating natural stone in  3 D space, with virtues of lower water absorption, less color difference, and higher degree of smoothness, and free of radioactive contamination etc.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an imitation stone slab used asbuilding material in the field of ceramic industry, and moreparticularly, to a 3D (three dimensional) color pattern slab formed bysintering ceramic powder belong to the family of stone pattern imitationslabs used for decorating permanent floor, wall and furniture facing.The slab is obtained by pressing and sintering of colorized ceramicpowders forming clear-cut pattern regions comprising various colors orvarious shades of same color or mixed colors. The pattern regions areuniformly distributed from surface to 70%-100% of the thickens of theslab, forming a 3D imitation stone exactly like a natural stones lab,having pattern configuration more like a natural stone slab comparedwith an existing imitation stone slab, with lower water absorption, lesscolor difference, and higher degree of smoothness, and free ofradioactive contamination compared with a natural stones lab, thereforesuitable for industrial application with its practicability and noveldesign.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

With the development of technology and people's living standard, peoplemay expect the decorative slabs for floor and walls to have anappearance of a natural stone, for example, a granite, to increase thesense of beauty.

Continuous attempts have been made to improve the structure of imitationdecorative stone slabs by the industry. The present inventor holdsseveral patents concerning decorative slabs, one of them relates to aprocess for producing stereo ceramic granite and marble, internationalpublication No. WO97/36840, published on Oct. 9, 1997, which disclosesan imitation stone slab having clear-cut patterns on the slab surfacewhich will not change when the slab surface is processed so as toeffectively improve the stability of the whole structure when such aslab is put into use. However, this prior art imitation stone slab hasvertical boundary lines formed between different patterns, so thetransition between colored patterns does not provide a natural look asthat of a real stone slab, which is still not what is expected.

In order to satisfy the need for practicability, the present inventorhas later disclosed a ceramic imitation granite slab and its makingmethod in his application entitled as Ceramic Imitation Granite Slab andMethod Thereof, Publication No. WO99/28262, published on Jun. 10, 1999,which do has some improvement, however, defects is found in thestructure of said ceramic imitation granite slab during use, that theslab made according to said method can only provides a pattern on thesurface of said imitation slab instead of a 3d pattern, not able toreflect the quality of natural granite of which the pattern is formedfrom inside to the outside. Especially the middle and lower part of theedge of said imitation slab does not show any patterns. If such a slabis used for decoration of table tops or walls and pillars where edgetrimming and grinding are required, it will not give a natural andcomplete look like a natural stone slab because the edge region of theslab does not have the granule patterns same as that of the surfaceregion of the slab.

The decorative imitation slab of prior art with random distributedgranular materials has disordered 3d patterns from the surface to theinside of the slab, therefore it cannot form uniform patterns from thesurface to the inside like that of a natural stone slab to give an‘clone’ effect to a natural stone slab.

From the above description one can not that all prior art stone slabs donot provide exact imitation of the colored granular patterns of thenatural granite, which is obvious an defect that requires improvement.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of this invention to overcome the defects of theexisting decorative imitation stone slabs and provide a 3D color patternslab formed by sintering ceramic powder by providing an imitation stonematerial, or referred to as ‘clone natural stone material’, which has an3D structure exactly like that of a natural stone material as a novelslab product. Local distribution of density and locations of colorizedinorganic silicate raw materials inside the 3D space of the imitationproduct according to the present invention can be controlled andproduced according to that of patterns of natural stone materials so asto provide a better imitation of the natural stone materials.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a 3D colorpattern slab formed by sintering ceramic powder to provide a betterimitation of natural stone materials by forming a controlled uniform 3Ddensity distribution of of granules formed by colored powder material.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a 3D colorpattern slab formed by sintering ceramic powder which has advantagesincluding lower water absorption, less color difference for largeregions, higher degree of smoothness, better geometric sizes, and freeof radioactive contamination compared with a natural stone slab.

The object of the present invention can be achieved by the followingtechnical solutions. A ceramic product is formed by pressing andsintering ceramic powders with minimum diameter of 0.1 mm-0.8 mm toprovide a 3D color pattern slab formed by sintering ceramic powder,which is characterized in that, the ceramic product includes clear cutceramic sintered pattern regions having 2-10 various kinds of colors ordifferent shades of a single or mixed colors; at least 2 types ofpattern regions each occupies 10%-90% of the total area of the ceramicproduct, in which at least each pattern region having at least one typeof colored ceramic powder uniformly distributed in 80%-100% of thepattern area and 70%-100% from surface to the inside 70%-100% of thethickness of the ceramic product; also, in a 1 mm-20 mm intersectingregion between said two types of colored pattern regions, the mixtureratio of the different colored powder material between two differentcolor pattern regions can reach from 1:50 to 50:50.

The objects of the present invention can be further achieved by thefollowing techniques:

Said 3D color pattern slab formed by sintering ceramic powder, whereinsaid slab comprises at least 2 types of colored pattern regions eachoccupies 10%-90% of the total slab region, and each pattern regionincluding at least a kind of color powder within 80%-100% of the area ofthat pattern region is uniformly distributed from the surface to theinside of the slab in 85%-100% of its thickness.

Said 3D color pattern slab formed by sintering ceramic powder, whereinan intersecting region of 1-20 mm in between said 2 types of coloredpattern regions has mixture ratio from 1:50 to 50:50 of the differentcolor powders of said 2 colored pattern regions, and the independentcolor powder with minimum diameter of 0.1 mm -0.8 mm in theintersectional region is 50′-100%.

Said 3D color pattern slab formed by sintering ceramic powder, whereinin a 1 mm-50 mm intersecting region between said two types of coloredpattern regions, the mixture ratio of the different colored powdermaterial between two different color pattern regions can reach from 1:50to 50:50.

Said 3D color pattern slab formed by sintering ceramic powder, whereinsaid pattern regions have 1-5 kinds of ceramic granules with minimumdiameter of 1.5 mm-20 mm with volume of said ceramic granules accountsfor 2%-80% of the total volume of said pattern region.

Said 3D color pattern slab formed by sintering ceramic powder, whereinsaid clear cut ceramic sintered pattern regions formed by 2-10 variouscolors or various shades of same color or mixed colors are provided with1-5 kinds of granule patterns composed of colored ceramic powders withdiameter between 3 mm-60 mm in a 3D space from the surface to the90%-100% of the thickness of the slab.

Said 3D color pattern slab formed by sintering ceramic powder, whereinsaid pattern regions can be colored regions composed of powders of solidcolors such as red, yellow, white, blue, black, green, purple, or brown,etc., or mixed colors by combination of various powders of more than onecolor, or combination of mixed color with solid colors.

Said 3D color pattern slab formed by sintering ceramic powder, whereinsaid ceramic product has a surface that can be either a unpolishedsurface or a polished surface.

Said 3D color pattern slab formed by sintering ceramic powder, whereinsaid surface of the ceramic product can be further combined with roughslip-proofing patterns having depth of dented sections of 0.1 mm-5 mm toform a pattern structure having a more stereoscopic appearance, and theprotruded sections can have a surface either unpolished or polished.

Said 3D color pattern slab formed by sintering ceramic powder, whereinsaid colorized inorganic silicates can be of any of the follow geometricconfigurations: flat, cylindrical, curved, partially cylindrical,spherical, multi-angular, round, elongated, or square, etc.

The present invention has obvious advantages and virtues compared withprior art. From the above description one can know that the 3D colorpattern slab according to the present invention does not have thedefects of the existing imitation stone slabs, and the constructionaccording to the present invention is more stable and has morevarieties. Detailed description of the virtues of present invention isgiven hereunder.

1. Said 3D color pattern slab formed by sintering ceramic powderaccording to the present invention, which is characterized in that, atleast 2 types of pattern regions each occupies 10%-90% of the total areaof the ceramic product, in which at least each pattern region having atleast one type of colored ceramic powder uniformly distributed in80%-100% of the pattern area and 70%-100% from surface to the inside70%-100% of the thickness of the ceramic product; also, in a 1 mm-20 mmintersecting region between said two types of colored pattern regions,the mixture ratio of the different colored powder material between twodifferent color pattern regions can reach from 1:50 to 50:50. By thisstructure a novel slab that has an imitation of natural stone in 3Dspace to give an real ‘clone’ of nature stone making local distributionof density and locations of colorized inorganic silicate raw materialsinside the 3D space of the imitation slab according to the presentinvention controlled and produced according to local distribution ofdensity of patterns of natural stone materials so as to provide a betterimitation of the natural stone materials.

2. Said 3D color pattern slab formed by sintering ceramic powderaccording to the present invention can have a better imitation of anatural stone slab by density distribution structure by forming acontrolled uniform 3D density distribution of granules formed by coloredpowder material.

3. The present invention is an improvement to the structure of thedecorative imitation slabs of natural stone slabs with simple structurehaving relatively low cost for production. Compared with its virtues andpracticability the present invention provides high value in use in theindustry.

4. Said 3D color pattern slab formed by sintering ceramic powderaccording to the present invention has lower water absorption, lesscolor difference, and higher degree of smoothness, and free ofradioactive contamination compared with a natural stone slab with regardto environmental protection, therefore it is suitable for industrialapplication with its practicability by provide better choices forconsumer.

As described above, said 3D color pattern slab formed by sinteringceramic powder according to the present invention has an betterimitation of a natural stone slab compared with all prior arts inreproducing the pattern structure of the natural stone slab, at the sametime, has lower water absorption, less color difference, and higherdegree of smoothness, and free of radioactive contamination comparedwith a natural stone slab.

Detailed description of present invention with reference to exemplaryembodiments and drawings is given hereunder.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the planar construction of the 3D colorpattern slab formed by sintering ceramic powder of the first embodimentaccording to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial enlarged view of the boundary line between differentcolor regions on the 3D color pattern slab formed by sintering ceramicpowder of the first embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a vertical section view of the boundary line between differentcolor regions on the 3D color pattern slab formed by sintering ceramicpowder of the first embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the planar construction of the steeldie orifice for the 3D color pattern slab formed by sintering ceramicpowder of the first embodiment according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Refer to FIG. 1, is a diagrammatic view of the planar construction ofthe 3D color pattern slab formed by sintering ceramic powder of thefirst embodiment according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, portionscovered with large black dots are orange color region 1 of a ceramicmaterial; portions covered with small black dots are white color region2 of a ceramic material; portions covered with oblique lines aregray-black color region 3 of a ceramic material

Now refer to FIG. 2, which is a partial enlarged view of the boundaryline between different color regions on the 3D color pattern slab formedby sintering ceramic powder of the first embodiment according to thepresent invention. In FIG. 2, a portion covered with large black dots isorange color region 1 of a ceramic material; a portion covered withsmall black dots is white color region 2 of a ceramic material. Theportions between two dotted lines is a transition region 4 formed bynatural mix of orange colored powder of orange color region 1 to thewhite colored powder of the white color region 2 and vice versa. Themixing ratio of the transition region 4 is from 10:50 to 30:50.

Now refer to FIG. 3, which is a vertical section view of the boundaryline between different color regions on the 3D color pattern slab formedby sintering ceramic powder of the first embodiment according to thepresent invention. The portion covered with large black dots is orangecolor region 1 of a ceramic material; a portion covered with small blackdots is white color region 2 of a ceramic material. The portion betweentwo dotted lines is a transition region 4 formed by natural mix of twoceramic powders of different colors. The mixing ratio of the transitionregion 4 is from 10:50 to 30:50.

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the planar construction of the mold 6with steel die orifices for the 3D color pattern slab formed bysintering ceramic powder of the first embodiment according to thepresent invention. Portions with large black dots are die orifices 61for passing ceramic powder of orange color; portions with small blackdots are die orifices 62 for passing ceramic powder of white color;portions with oblique lines are die orifices 63 for passing ceramicpowder of gray-black color; bold lines denote the positions of steel dieorifice plane 65 viewing from above to the bottom.

Refer to FIG. 1 through FIG. 4, the 3D color pattern slab formed bysintering ceramic powder, which is formed by pressing and sinteringceramic powders with minimum diameter of 0.1 mm-0.8 mm to provide a 3Dcolor pattern slab formed by sintering ceramic powder, which ischaracterized in that, the ceramic product includes clear cut ceramicsintered pattern regions having 2-10 various kinds of colors ordifferent shades of a single or mixed colors; at least 2 types ofpattern regions each occupies 10%-90% of the total area of the ceramicproduct, in which at least each pattern region having at least one typeof colored ceramic powder uniformly distributed in 80%-100% of thepattern area and 70%-100% from surface to the inside 70%-100% of thethickness of the ceramic product; also, in a 1 mm-20 mm intersectingregion between said two types of colored pattern regions, the mixtureratio of the different colored powder material between two differentcolor pattern regions can reach from 1:50 to 50:50.

In the process of producing the product according to the presentinvention, said 3D color pattern slab formed by sintering ceramicpowder, wherein said slab comprises at least 2 types of colored patternregions each occupies 10%-90% of the total slab region, and each patternregion including at least a kind of color powder within 80%-100% of thearea of that pattern region is uniformly distributed from the surface tothe inside of the slab in 85%-100% of its thickness.

In the process of producing the product according to the presentinvention, said 3D color pattern slab formed by sintering ceramicpowder, wherein an intersecting region of 1-20 mm in between said 2types of colored pattern regions has mixture ratio from 1:50 to 50:50 ofthe different color powders of said 2 colored pattern regions, and theindependent color powder with minimum diameter of 0.1 mm -0.8 mm in theintersectional region is 50%-100%.

In the process of producing the product according to the presentinvention, said 3D color pattern slab formed by sintering ceramicpowder, wherein in a 1 mm-50 mm intersecting region between said twotypes of colored pattern regions, the mixture ratio of the differentcolored powder material between two different color pattern regions canreach from 1:50 to 50:50.

In the process of producing the product according to the presentinvention, said 3D color pattern slab formed by sintering ceramicpowder, wherein said pattern regions have 1-5 kinds of ceramic granuleswith minimum diameter of 1.5 mm-20 mm with volume of said ceramicgranules accounts for 2%-80% of the total volume of said pattern region.

In the process of producing the product according to the presentinvention, said 3D color pattern slab formed by sintering ceramicpowder, wherein said clear cut ceramic sintered pattern regions formedby 2-10 kinds of various colors or various shades of same color or mixedcolors are provided with 1-5 kinds of granule patterns composed ofcolored ceramic powders with diameter between 3 mm-60 mm in a 3D spacefrom the surface to the 90%-100% of the thickness of the slab.

In the process of producing the product according to the presentinvention, said 3D color pattern slab formed by sintering ceramicpowder, wherein said colorized inorganic silicates may have an area from40 cm²like mosaic to10 m² like huge stone materials with thickness of 3mm-1000 mm and can be of any of the follow geometric configurations:flat, cylindrical, curved, partially cylindrical, spherical,multi-angular, round, elongated, or square, etc.

In the process of producing the product according to the presentinvention, said 3D color pattern slab formed by sintering ceramicpowder, wherein said ceramic product has a surface that can be either aunpolished surface or a polished surface.

In the process of producing the product according to the presentinvention, said 3D color pattern slab formed by sintering ceramicpowder, wherein said surface of the ceramic product can be furthercombined with rough slip-proofing patterns having depth of dentedsections of 0.1 mm-5 mm to form a pattern structure having a morestereoscopic appearance, and the protruded sections can have a surfaceeither unpolished or polished.

Now the method and process of producing the said 3D color pattern slabformed by sintering ceramic powder of the first embodiment according tothe present invention is described as follows:

-   -   (1). Put powder raw materials including 50%-90% of small        granules with diameter of 0.25 mm-0.8 mm of orange color 1,        white color 2, and black color 3 for ceramic slabs into three        vessels respectively;    -   (2). Then put a set of mold assembly 4 having die orifices for        three color regions with desired patterns under the vessels;    -   (3). Fill the raw materials of various color into the desired        regions according to FIG. 4 respectively;    -   (4). Move the steel mold 6 with high speed in four directions on        a plane within an range of 1-20 mm. The moving speed is 0.5-10        times of the free falling speed of the ceramic powder to form a        natural mixing at the boundary line between different color        regions, forming a real imitation of the 3D structure of a        natural stone by make the granules fall into the combined press        mold frame of press machine through die orifice of according the        predetermined pattern.

(5). Then shape by pressing with press machine, followed sinter thedried mass to the end product.

The above described are only the preferred embodiments of the presentinvention which does not in any way limit the present invention. Itshould be appreciated that any modifications or changes may be madeaccording to the preferred embodiments of the present invention withoutdeparting from the scope of technical solutions described herein.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

1. A 3D color pattern slab formed by sintering ceramic powder, is formedby pressing and sintering ceramic powders with minimum diameter of 0.1mm-0.8 mm to provide a 3D color pattern slab formed by sintering ceramicpowder, wherein: the ceramic product includes clear cut ceramic sinteredpattern regions having 2-10 various kinds of colors or different shadesof a single or mixed colors; at least 2 types of pattern regions eachoccupies 10%-90% of the total area of the ceramic product, in which atleast each pattern region having at least one type of colored ceramicpowder uniformly distributed in 80%-100% of the pattern area and70%-100% from surface to the inside 70%-100% of the thickness of theceramic product; and, in a 1 mm-20 mm intersecting region between saidtwo types of colored pattern regions, the mixture ratio of the differentcolored powder material between two different color pattern regions canreach from 1:50 to 50:50
 2. Said 3D color pattern slab formed bysintering ceramic powder according to claim 1, wherein said slabcomprises at least 2 types of colored pattern regions each occupies10%-90% of the total slab region, and each pattern region including atleast a kind of color powder within 80%-100% of the area of that patternregion is uniformly distributed from the surface to the inside of theslab in 85%-100% of its thickness.
 3. Said 3D color pattern slab formedby sintering ceramic powder according to claim 1, wherein anintersecting region of 1-20 mm in between said 2 types of coloredpattern regions has mixture ratio from 1:50 to 50:50 of the differentcolor powders of said 2 colored pattern regions, and the independentcolor powder with minimum diameter of 0.1 mm 0.8 mm in theintersectional region is 50%-100%.
 4. Said 3D color pattern slab formedby sintering ceramic powder according to claim 1, wherein in a 1 mm-50mm intersecting region between said two types of colored patternregions, the mixture ratio of the different colored powder materialbetween two different color pattern regions can reach from 1:50 to50:50.
 5. Said 3D color pattern slab formed by sintering ceramic powderaccording to claim 1, wherein said pattern regions have 1-5 kinds ofceramic granules with minimum diameter of 1.5 mm-20 mm with volume ofsaid ceramic granules accounts for 2%-80% of the total volume of saidpattern region.
 6. Said 3D color pattern slab formed by sinteringceramic powder according to claim 1, wherein said clear cut ceramicsintered pattern regions formed by 2-10 various colors or various shadesof same color or mixed colors are provided with 1-5 kinds of granulepatterns composed of colored ceramic powders with diameter between 3mm-60 mm in a 3D space from the surface to the 90%-100% of the thicknessof the slab.
 7. Said 3D color pattern slab formed by sintering ceramicpowder according to claim 1, wherein said pattern regions can be coloredregions composed of powders of solid colors such as red, yellow, white,blue, black, green, purple, or brown, etc., or mixed colors bycombination of various powders of more than one color, or combination ofmixed color with solid colors.
 8. Said 3D color pattern slab formed bysintering ceramic powder according to claim 7, wherein said ceramicproduct has a surface that can be either a unpolished surface or apolished surface.
 9. Said 3D color pattern slab formed by sinteringceramic powder according to claim 8, wherein said surface of the ceramicproduct can be further combined with rough slip-proofing patterns havingdepth of dented sections of 0.1 mm-5 mm to form a pattern structurehaving a more stereoscopic appearance, and the protruded sections canhave a surface either unpolished or polished.
 10. Said 3D color patternslab formed by sintering ceramic powder according to claim 8, whereinsaid colorized inorganic silicates can be of any of the follow geometricconfigurations: flat, cylindrical, curved, partially cylindrical,spherical, multi-angular, round, elongated, or square, etc.
 11. Said 3Dcolor pattern slab formed by sintering ceramic powder according to claim2, wherein said pattern regions can be colored regions composed ofpowders of solid colors such as red, yellow, white, blue, black, green,purple, or brown, etc., or mixed colors by combination of variouspowders of more than one color, or combination of mixed color with solidcolors.
 12. Said 3D color pattern slab formed by sintering ceramicpowder according to claim 3, wherein said pattern regions can be coloredregions composed of powders of solid colors such as red, yellow, white,blue, black, green, purple, or brown, etc., or mixed colors bycombination of various powders of more than one color, or combination ofmixed color with solid colors.
 13. Said 3D color pattern slab formed bysintering ceramic powder according to claim 4, wherein said patternregions can be colored regions composed of powders of solid colors suchas red, yellow, white, blue, black, green, purple, or brown, etc., ormixed colors by combination of various powders of more than one color,or combination of mixed color with solid colors.
 14. Said 3D colorpattern slab formed by sintering ceramic powder according to claim 5,wherein said pattern regions can be colored regions composed of powdersof solid colors such as red, yellow, white, blue, black, green, purple,or brown, etc., or mixed colors by combination of various powders ofmore than one color, or combination of mixed color with solid colors.15. Said 3D color pattern slab formed by sintering ceramic powderaccording to claim 6, wherein said pattern regions can be coloredregions composed of powders of solid colors such as red, yellow, white,blue, black, green, purple, or brown, etc., or mixed colors bycombination of various powders of more than one color, or combination ofmixed color with solid colors.
 16. Said 3D color pattern slab formed bysintering ceramic powder according to claim 11, wherein said ceramicproduct has a surface that can be either a unpolished surface or apolished surface.
 17. Said 3D color pattern slab formed by sinteringceramic powder according to claim 12, wherein said ceramic product has asurface that can be either a unpolished surface or a polished surface.18. Said 3D color pattern slab formed by sintering ceramic powderaccording to claim 13, wherein said ceramic product has a surface thatcan be either a unpolished surface or a polished surface.
 19. Said 3Dcolor pattern slab formed by sintering ceramic powder according to claim14, wherein said ceramic product has a surface that can be either aunpolished surface or a polished surface.
 20. Said 3D color pattern slabformed by sintering ceramic powder according to claim 15, wherein saidceramic product has a surface that can be either a unpolished surface ora polished surface.